Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies..."
Jn 11:25

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Thank You Rachel

At the memorial service in the lobby of the church you two attended.

I love the beautiful pictures you made for the light cases. You put his brochure together in the midst of excruciating grief. It is a treasure we hold till we see him again.

Saying your good-byes.

How did you find the strength? It was almost impossible to collect thoughts and put them into words, but you did it so beautifully and from the heart. Your character shines in the darkness, Rachel.

In his emptied bedroom.

A shell of sorrow without him and his things in it. The end of a dream you had shared and a future we had hoped for. So sad for all of us to not see that future unfold. We are so sorry for your loss, Rachel. We wanted you to be our son's wife and our daughter- and-sister-in-law/auntie/and wonderful mother of our grandchildren. You will always be that person in our hearts, dear Daughter-in-love.

With Joey in Australia.

I love that snuggly hug and the contented looks on your faces. I love how your head fit into the curve of his neck. I love the way you held him, the way you loved him.

Setting out for uncharted adventures in Gunther, your transportation and home for a year. What a daring girl you are, Rachel. And you made such a nice, cozy little home inside. Thank you for taking such good care of my son.

Where are you? The Northwest? Alaska? You have your ANWR t-shirt on. Joey's wearing his spoons shirt. That's just the way I remember you two together so often.

High mountains. Happy faces. Carefree days.

Thank you for joining him in the adventure of a lifetime.

Such a beautiful friend to our beautiful son. On his 30th birthday, we thank you for loving Joey in his life and in his death. We also thank you for loving us and sticking with us in our best and worst moments. You are a wonder. We will love you forever.

Ruth 1:16But Ruth said, "... where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.

About this Blog

We are in the midst of major life changes triggered by the loss of our only son. He died from an epilepsy-related syndrome called SUDEP--Sudden Unexplained Death by Epilepsy. With absolutely no warning, one day he was alive and the next day he was gone. Our hearts are broken.From the shores of Maui, to the woods of Virginia, to our ultimate destination in Heaven, we are on a difficult journey of discovery. This blog is a form of therapy for us and a place to also count our blessings. It's not what we planned for our lives--Plan A, but instead we are trusting that God has a Plan B.

Our Beloved Son

This is Joey at our last dinner together, May 17, 2008. Mama's Fish House, Maui--his favorite restaurant. Double-click to find his memorial brochure

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4

All Together, Whistler Christmas, 2006

Our only picture with all of us together and Joey and Rachel, who took a break from their road trip to be with us.

Joey and Mom

I was so blessed to bring this wonderful and funny young man into the world.

Joey and His Dad

Joe is missing his best friend.

Joey and His Adoring Sisters

They shared the best kind of friendship and rarely missed a chance to be together.

The Musicians

There's nothing they liked better than jamming together.

Joey and Rachel's One Year Van Trip--Alaska to Panama, West Coast to East and back again

Joey and his Rachel enjoying nature in the great outdoors-- Double-click to go to their blog about their trip

What Is SUDEP?

Quotes I Really Love

"In the end everything will be all right, nothing can harm you permanently; no loss is lasting, no defeat more than transitory, no disappointment is conclusive. Suffering, failure, loneliness, sorrow, discouragement and death will be part of your journey, but the kingdom of God will conquer all of these horrors. No evil can resist grace forever."-Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel

brothers and sisters, the church is not mistaken.the church awaits with certainty the hour of redemption.those who have disappeared will reappear.the sorrows of these mothers will be turned into easter.the affliction of this people,which knows not where it goes amid so much affliction, will become easter resurrection if we join ourselves to christ and hope in him.Archbishop Oscar Romero

“God’s will was not hidden somewhere ‘out there’ . . . the situations [in which I found myself] were his will for me. What he wanted was for me to accept these situations as from his hands, to let go of the reins and place myself entirely at his disposal.”

Jesuit Walter Ciszek’s (1904–1983)

Promises We Are Holding On To With All That Is Within Us

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.Hebrews 6:19

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.John 14:1-3

Mother's Day Poem

Heavy~ by Mary Oliver

That timeI thought I could notgo any closer to griefwithout dying

I went closer,and I did not die.

Surely Godhad His hand in this,

as well as friends.

Still, I was bent,and my laughter,as the poet said,

was nowhere to be found.Then said my friend Daniel(brave even among the lions),"It's not the weight you carry

but how you carry it --books, bricks, grief --it's all in the way

you embrace it, balance it, carry it

when you cannot, and would not,put it down."So I went practicing.Have you noticed?

Have you heardthe laughterthat comes, now and again,out of my startled mouth?

How I lingerto admire, admire, admire

the things of this worldthat are kind, and maybe

also troubled --roses in the wind,the sea geese on the steep waves,a love to which there is no reply?

"a joey always loves his mama"

A card to me from JoAnne for Joey's 30th Birthday

Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?—Clarence the angel in "It's a Wonderful Life"